Tech

7 Things You Need to Know About Saturday's SpaceX Launch

Following a series of delays, private spaceflight company SpaceX is set to finally launch its Dragon capsule toward the International Space Station on Saturday. The event will be historic — if the mission is carried out, it will be the first time ever a privately-built spacecraft will dock at the habitable artificial satellite.

To gear up for the big launch, which will soar from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 4:55 a.m. ET and make its way to the international space station over the next few days, here are a few key things you should know about the capsule and the company behind it.

1. SpaceX's Mission

Run by PayPal founder and billionaire Elon Musk. SpaceX has been working on building space boosters since the company's debut in 2004. SpaceX's Dragon missile already set records in 2010 when it successfully orbited Earth twice, but this mission is part of an effort to test Dragon’s reliability to transfer supplies to the station. By 2015, SpaceX aims to have a certified commercial spacecraft to send passengers to Earth's low orbit.

2. The Delays

Although the launch date was pushed back nearly four weeks after the capsule was originally scheduled to soar into space, it's not unusual for spacecrafts to be delayed. Not only is weather an important factor, but all of the hardware and software has to be in order, as well. In this case, time was needed to work on Dragon's docking software. Note: The forecast is looking good for Saturday.

Weather looking good for tomorrow morning's 4:55amET @SpaceX launch. Only 30% chance of "no-go" due to weather: twitpic.com/9mgpzs

3. The Launch Into Orbit

The company will be sending the unmanned robotic Dragon capsule, attached to its Falcon 9 rocket, into orbit on a test mission. After launch, it will begin its journey to the space station and reach the Earth's preliminary orbit in just 10 minutes. Upon arrival, it will "deploy its solar arrays and begin a carefully choreographed series of engine firings to reach the station,” according to NASA. These firings are a part of a series of what NASA is calling "complicated tests."

4. The Tests

The test missions, which will involve Dragon's sensors and flight systems, are set to determine whether the Dragon capsule will be ready to dock at the station. But a lot will go into its arrival. On day-four, two NASA astronauts already at the international space station will decide whether the Dragon is ready to berth with the station. But since the space station orbits the earth every 90 minutes, soaring at about 17,000 miles an hour, it will take intense precision to align the capsule for docking.

5. Attaching to the Space Station

When the Dragon is ready to attach to the facility, the space station's robotic arm will reach out and attach the capsule. The astronauts will eventually open the Dragon’s hatch and unload the supplies. It will then fill the Dragon with return cargo.

6. Capsule Homecoming

After staying two weeks at the international space station, the Dragon will be detached and sent back to earth. It is expected to land in the Pacific Ocean, hundreds of miles west of southern California. Retrieving the capsule will require a 185-foot working barge, equipped with a crane and pulled by a tugboat and two 25-foot inflatable boats. About a dozen SpaceX engineers and technicians will be on board, as well as a four-person dive team, according to SpaceX.

7. How to Watch

For those willing to wake up early on Saturday — or go to bed late — a livestream of the 4:55 a.m. launch will be available, starting with pre-launch coverage at 3:30 a.m. ET. The event will also be broadcast on NASA TV. It is scheduled to play again at 5:25 a.m. and a press conference is scheduled for a few hours after the launch, at 8:30 a.m.

If anything pops up on Saturday and there isn't liftoff, SpaceX will try again on Tuesday, May 22.

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